Ophthalmic mounting with adjustably mounted pliable bridge



R. J. HAMM 3,304,145

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING WITH ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED PLIABLE BRIDGE Feb. 14, 1967Filed April 5, 1960 INVENTOIZ IZQLPH J. HHMM HTTOBNEY United StatesPatent 3,304,145 OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING WITH ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED PLIABLEBRIDGE Ralph J. Hamrn, North Woodstock, Conn., assignor to AmericanOptical Company, Southbridge, Mass, a voluntary association ofMassachusetts Filed Apr. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 20,044 2 Claims. (Cl. 351130)This invention relates to ophthalmic mountings and has particularreference to novel and improved structures for the nasal areas ofophthalmic mountings.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide improvedbridge structures for ophthalmic mountings which provide morecomfortable and secure nasal supporting means for said mountings when inuse and are pleasing in appearance, simple in design and economical toproduce.

Another object is to provide novel adjustable saddle type bridgestructures which are adaptable to ophthalmic mountings of substantiallyall conventional designs and by means of which the mountings may beeasily, quickly and accurately adjusted to permanent properly alignedrelation with the eyes of a wearer while, at the same time, comfortablyfitted to the face.

Another object is to provide an ophthalmic mounting having a saddle typebridge construction of the above mentioned adjustable type which isformed of a gentle non-irritating self-conforming material so contouredand arranged at the nasal area of the mounting as to bear comfortablyagainst the less sensitive forward portion of the nose of the wearerwhen in use, and thereby direct the weight of said mounting to said lesssensitive nasal area of the face.

Another object is to provide, as a part of a saddle or sling type bridgeconstruction of the above character, novel means for attaching the sameto the nasal section of an ophthalmic mounting and for permitting readyadjustment of said bridge construction relative to the supporting partsof said mounting in conformity with the individual face fittingrequirements of a prospective wearer thereof.

Another object is to provide a sling type nose engaging structure of theabove character for ophthalmic mountings or the like, which produces anunusual style effect and further permits unlimited redesigning orfurther restyling of the nasal area of ophthalmic mountings forproducing desired aesthetic effects heretofore unobtainable with thefixed and relatively prominent conventional nose engaging parts ofconventional ophthalmic mountings.

Another object is to provide an improved saddle type nasal constructionfor ophthalmic mountings which is unique in its adjustability andself-confromity in meeting face fitting requirements andprovides'maximum comfort and security of fit when in use upon the faceof a wearer.

A further object is to provide an ophthalmic mounting having a structureof the above-mentioned character which is commercially attractive andenhances the aesthetic value of the mounting by reason of its neat andtrim appearance when in a position of use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an ophthalmic mounting embodying aperferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially alongline 22 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows anddiagrammatically illustrating the fitting characteristics obtainablewith the arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear perspective 3,304,145 PatentedFeb. 14, 1967 view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1and 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 ofFIG. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGS. 5-8 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views of various modifiedbridge securing arrangements which are applicable to any of the severalillustrated forms of the invention;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are fragmentary rear perspective views of ophthalmicmountings embodying alternate forms of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front perspective view of an ophthalmicmounting embodying a further modification of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line1212 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters ofreference designate like parts throughout the several views, there isshown in FIGS. 1-4 a preferred form of the invention which embodies aflexible self-conforming saddle or sling type bridge 20 and supportingmeans therefor which is adaptable to various different types ofconventional ophthalmic mountings.

The mounting 21, which has been shown for purposes of illustration, isof the so-called zyl-metal combination type and embodies a metallicframe front 22 consisting of a pair of internal-1y V-grooved lens rimsor eyewires 23 and 24 which are split at 25 and 26 respectively. Each ofthe eyewires 23 and 24 are adapted to receive and securely support beveledged lenses 27 and 28 in the conventional manner when said lenses areedge fitted therein and the respective split ends of the eyewires areclamped tightly together with the usual connecting screws or the like,not shown. The eyewires 23 and 24 are joined together in fixedpredetermined spaced side-'by-side relation with each other by means ofa rigid metallic cross bar 29 which is soldered or otherwise securelyconnected at each of its opposite ends to the respective eyewires 23 and24 adjacent the uppermost or top edges of the said eyewires as shown inFIG. 1. The cross bar 29 size is of a predetermined length selected inaccordance with the facial characteristics of a prospective user of theframe so as to provide a nasal space N (see FIG. 1) between the eyewires23 and 24 which is of a dimension somewhat greater than the width of theusers nose taken at a point adjacent the location where the respectivefacing edges of the eyewires Wil'l ultimately 'be positioned when themounting 21 is in use. Furthermore, the eyewire and cross bar 29 sizesare also preselected in known manner so as to place the geometricalcenter points 30 and 31 of the lenses at a predetermined spaced distancefrom each other in accordance with the interpupillary distance of theusers eyes. It will be noted as this description progresses that therigid cross bar 29 forms no other function than to integrate theeyewires 23- and 24 so as to form a relative rigid frame front 22. Thatis, the rigid cross bar 29 does not bear against a users face when themounting 21 is in use or in any way support the weight of the mountingwhen it is in use. This is solely the function of the flexible saddlebridge 20 of the invention without contribution from the rigid cross bar29.

The frame front 22 is provided with a pair of grooved plastic browsections 32 and 33 which are fitted over and fixed to the upper edges ofthe respective eyewires 23 and 24. The brown sections 32 and 33 extendfrom the cross bar 29, to which they are attached, across the top edgesof their respective eyewires to the opposing side edges thereof wherethey terminate as enlarged endpieces 34 and 35 respectively and areagain attached to the eyewire parts. Rearw ardly directed temples 36 and37 are pivotally connected to the respective endpieces 34 and 35 in theconventional manner with hinges 38 or the like, see FIG. 2.

In order to support the nasal section of the mounting 21 securely,comfortably and accurately on the face of a wearer, the presentinvention provides the above-mentioned flexible saddle type bridge 20which is relatively wide throughout its intermediate section 26a andnarrows toward each of its opposite ends so as to provide a pair of legs20b and 200 by means of which the bridge may be initially adjusted onthe mounting 21 and then secured thereto as will be described presently.

The saddle bridge 20: is formed of a flexible self-conforming type ofmaterial such as nylon, vinyl or other pliable plastics or may be formedof leather, synthetic leather, neoprene or rubber. In all cases, thematerial selected for the making of the saddle bridge 20 must meet thefollowing requirements: said material must be pliable andself-conformable, but it should not possess any appreciable elasticcharacteristics; it must be nonirritating to the facial tissue of a userand its pliable characteristics and coloring must be relatively stableover long periods of use and not appreciably affected by bodysecretions.

The saddle bridge 20 may be cut to shape from sheet stock having theabove-desired characteristics or preferably molded to the particularshape shown more in detail by FIG. 2 wherein it is provided with aslightly convex inner surface 20d which is to rest against the nose of awearer. If desired, the said inner surface 20d of the saddle bridge 20may be scored or otherwise treated to produce a non-irritating non-slipsurface which will allow some ventilation between it and the skin areaupon which it rests when in use. It is also pointed out that in order tolend added stability to certain very soft materials which might be usedin the fabrication of the saddle bridge 20, the said materials may belaminated over reinforcing means such as fabric, malleable wires or wiremesh or the like. It is also pointed out that for most uses, the bridge20 is formed to a width of approximately 4 mm. across the widest :partof its midsection 20a although it may, in some cases, be 8 to 10 mm. oreven wider particularly in instances where it might be desired to usethe bridge as protective or shielding means for the nose of a wearer toavoid sunburn or other excessive heat radiations if, for example, thebridge construction of the invention were used as nasal supporting meansfor industrial or sports goggles or the like.

The saddle bridge is attached and fixedly supported on the mounting 21preferably by means of elongated relatively rigid but bendable metallicarms 42 (see FIGS. 2-4) which will hereinafter be referred to as guardarms. The guard arms 42 are soldered or otherwise attached at 43, one toeach of the rear edges of the respective metallic eyewires 23 and 24,and depend to approximately the horizontal geometrical centerline of thesaid eye'wires. At the free end of each of the guard arms 42 there isprovided a metallic connection box 44 through which the legs of thesaddle bridge 20 are extended and attached as will be presentlydescribed. The boxes 44 are soldered or otherwise fixedly secured totheir respective guard arms and have tubular openings therethrough intowhich the legs 41 and 42 ofthe saddle bridge 20 are extended as shown inFIGS. 1-.4.

In adjusting the bridge 20, prior to the securing of its legspermanently in the boxes 44, a measure is taken of the distance X (seeFIGS. 1 and 2) between the boxes 44 and the point where the surface 20dof the bridge is to ultimately engage the nose 45 of a wearer (see FIG.2). This distance X should be such as to locate the mounting 21vertically upon the face in such a position as to place the axes of therespective lenses 27 and 28 approximately in line with the wearers eyes46 (see FIG. 2). Knowing the point where the bridge 20 is to rest on thenose 45,

this measure may be made with a scale or alternatively, with the bridgelegs 20b and 200 extended loosely through the boxes 44, a temporaryfitting of the mounting to the face of a prospective user may be madeand upon removal of the mounting from the face, the bridge legs 20b and200 would be secured permanently in place. Increasing or decreasing thedimension X is accomplished simply by sliding the bridge legs 20b and200 simultaneously up or down through the boxes 44, with said boxes andlegs having suificient frictional contact to temporarily retain theadjustments. Also, in order to provide for a proper fitting of themounting, the distance Y (see FIG. 2) between the eyes 46 and the innerside surfaces of the respective adjacent lenses 27 and 28 is adjusted bya forward or rearward bending of the guard arms 42.

The fitting dimensions X and Y and the spacing of the boxes 44 must berelatively accurately determined before the bridge is secured in saidboxes 44 and the said dimensions may be arrived at by any knownexpedient such as scaler measure or actual face fitting before thesecuring of the bridge ends 2% and 20c.

With the saddle bridge 20 properly adjusted in the boxes 44 therespective legs 20b and 200 thereof are rigidly secured in place and anyunwanted material of the said bridge legs which extends below the boxes44 is trimmed off.

Securing of the bridge legs 20b and 20c may be accomplished simply bycementing them in the boxes 44. However, a preferred securingarrangement would be that illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 or FIGS. 5-8.

In FIGS. 1-4, the boxes 44 are provided with bendable tab parts 48 whichare bent by squeezing with pliers or the like into holding relation withthe said bridge legs 20b and 20c.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a connection box 49 similar to theabove-described boxes 44 having a bendable tab 50 which again is forcedagainst the end part or leg 51 of a saddle bridge 52. The bridge 52 isidentical to the above-described bridge 20 with the exception of its endparts or legs 51 which are serrated along their outer sides at 53. Theserrated or saw-toothed sides 53 of the bridge 52 are engaged by tabs 50of the type shown in FIG. 5 to positively prevent any upwarddisplacement of the bridge 52 in the box 49. It is pointed out that thetabs 50 may be initially inwardly bent as shown in FIG. 5 and springtempered to render them resilient. In such a case, the serrated bridgelegs may be adjusted to any. desired fixed position in the boxes 49 bysimply forcing them through the boxes 49 wherein the spring tabs willautomatically snap into the serrations to securely hold the bridge in adesired adjusted position.

In FIG. 6 an alternate type of connection box 54 is shown as beingindented at 55 to press into and clamp an end or leg 56 of a bridge 57which is identical to the bridge 20. Indentation of the box 54 at 55 maybe accomplished by striking the same with a suitable punch or the like.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a further modification of bridge connectingmeans wherein a connection box 58 without a tab or other bendable partsis used. A bridge end part or leg 59, when properly adjusted in the box58, is clamped into place with a suitable wedge 60 formed of metal, woodor hard plastic or the like.

In FIG. 8, the connection box 61 is provided with an internal shoe 62formed of a relatively thin spring-like material which is wedged againstthe end part or leg 63 of a bridge 64 by means of an adjustable setscrew 65 to produce a clamping of the bridge 64. The set screw isthreaded through the side 61a of the connection box 61.

It is pointed out that the flexible bridge parts 52, 57, 59 and 64 whichwere referred to with relation to FIGS. 5-8 are identical to the abovedescribed bridge 20 of FIGS. 1-4 with the exception of the particularend part or leg 50 of the bridge 52 shown and described with relation toFIG. 5 and it is further pointed out that any one of the connection boxarrangements shown in FIGS. 5-8 may be J used to replace the firstdescribed connection boxes 44 of FIGS. 1-4.

Other modifications of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 9-12wherein, in FIG. 9, there is shown a fragmentary portion of a metallicspectacle frame 66 embodying a flexible sling or saddle type bridge 67which is identical to the bridge 20 of FIGS. 1-4. The frame 66, however,is provided with a substantially horizontally extending bendablemetallic guard arm 68 soldered to the rear edge of the frame eyewire 69.The guard arm 68 is formed to a looped shape intermediate its oppositeends so as to cause its free end 70 to depend as shown. A connection box71 which may be of any one of the above described types is provided atsaid free end 70 of the guard arm 68 into which the bridge is insertedand secured as outlined above. With a structure such as shown in FIG. 9,it can be seen that adjustment of the bridge 67 relative to the framefront 66, for face fitting purposes, can be made after the bridge 67 issecurely locked in the connection boxes 71. That is, the bridge can beraised or lowered by bending the horizontally disposed portion of theguard arm 68 and it can be also moved toward or away from the eyewires69 by bending the depending section of said guard arm 68 forwardly orrearwardly. It is pointed out that this latter adjustment can easily bemade on the device of FIGS. 14 but that a vertical adjustment of thearrangement of FIGS. 1-4 cannot be made as readily after the bridge 20is secured in the boxes 44. Thus, with the arrangement of FIGS. 1-4, itis desirable to initially set the bridge 20 at a desired height beforeclamping the same in the boxes 44. This, however, is not essential tothe fitting of a mounting such as shown in FIG. 9.

In FIG. 10 there is illustrated an all plastic spectacle frame orophthalmic mounting 73 having a guard arm mounting plate 74 riveted,cemented or otherwise secured thereto adjacent its nasal section. To theplate 74 there is soldered a guard arm 75 having a bridge connecting box76 attached to its free end and a flexible saddle bridge 77 of the typedescribed hereinabove secured in the box 76. In this modification of theinvention, it can be seen that vertical adjustment of the bridge 77 canbe made, within practical limits, by bending the arm 75 up or down. Itshould be understood that, if it is so desired, the arm 75 may be of anypreformed bent or looped shape such as shown in FIG. 9, for example, topermit both horizontal and vertical adjustment of the bridge after it issecured in the connection box 76.

A still further modification of the invention is shown in FIGS. 11 and12 which is applicable to any or all of the above described structures.

In FIGS. 11 and 12, pads 78 are provided on the adjacent facing sides ofthe bridge connection boxes 79. It is pointed out, however, that in thefitting of a mounting embodying the arrangement of FIGS. 11 and 12, thepads 78 are so spaced from each other by lateral or sidewise adjustmentof the guard arms 82 as to cause said pads to very lightly engage thesides of a wearers nose. The entire or major portion of the weight ofthe mounting 81, however, is supported by the bridge 80 which bearsdownwardly against the forward or top less sensitive part of the nose.Again, the flexible bridge 80 will conform readily to the nose shape andprovide a comfortable nonirritating support for the mounting and by thegentle and light contact made by the pads 78 any tendency for sidewisemotion of the mounting is opposed.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 12, it will be seen that a preferredpad construction 78 embodies a metal part 83 secured to an adjustablepad supporting arm 84 which is, in turn, soldered or otherwise attachedto the box 79. The metal part 83 has plastic or other covering 85thereon. The covering 85 may be applied by dipping the part 83 into asuitably liquid plastic material or the like which may thereafter beallowed to harden by polymerization or a laminating technique may beused. With the above construction, the flexible bridge and the pads 78may be adjusted independently of each other.

It is particularly pointed out that with any one of the above describedconstructions or others not shown which would fall within the scope ofthis invention, an adjustable self-conforming flexible saddle typebridge is provided to fit comfortably and securely over the forward orouter less sensitive surface of a persons nose and said bridgeconstruction may be adjusted so that the entire or major portion of theweight of the spectacle will bear comfortably on said forward part ofthe nose and not against the more sensitive side parts of the nose. Inaddition, the present invention provides a flexible or pliable saddletype bridge structure which is readily adjustable relative to the lenssupporting section of the mounting to provide for an accurate andcomfortable fitting of the mounting on the wearers face regardless ofthe particular nose shape or other adjacent facial contours.Furthermore, the bridge structures shown and described herein areapplicable to all types of eyewear including industrial goggles, sunglasses, sports goggles, library spectacles or conventional spectaclesof the various different shapes, sizes and designs. Also, the flexiblebridge parts may be formed of clear and transparent or of flesh coloredmaterials so as to be relatively inconspicuous or, if desired, they maybe otherwise colored to produce different aesthetic effects.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that simple inexpensive andefiicient means have been provided for accomplishing all of the objectsand advantages of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claimsand the invention is not to be limited to the exact matters shown anddescribed as only the preferred matters have been given by way ofillustration.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A bridge of relatively thin essentially non-elastic pliable materialcarried by a pair of relatively rigid arms for supporting a spectacleframe in a position of use upon the nose wherein the improvementcomprises said bridge having an arched relatively Wide intermediate noseengaging section and depending leg portions of considerably reducedsubstantially uniform width one at each of opposite sides of saidintermediate section, a connection box fixed to one end of each of saidarms, said connection boxes each having a slideway into which one ofsaid leg portions is longitudinally slidably extended whereby the heightof said intermediate section of said bridge relative to said supportingarms may be adjusted according to the extent to which said leg portionsare moved into said connection boxes and said connection boxesincorporating releasable clamping means for fixedly securing said legportions in preselected longitudinally adjusted positions therein.

2. In a spectacle frame having a pair of spaced lens retaining rimsinterconnected by a transversely extending relatively rigid bar arrangedto be disposed forwardly of the upper region of the nose when said frameis in use and a bridge of relatively thin essentially non-elasticpliable material carried by free ends of a pair of relatively rigid armsextending from the nasal portion of said frame for supporting said framein a position of use upon the nose, the improvement comprising saidbridge having an arched relatively wide intermediate nose engagingsection and depending leg portions of considerably reduced substantiallyuniform width one at each of opposite sides of said intermediatesection, a connection box fixed to said free end of each arm, saidconnection boxes each having a slideway into which one of said legportions is longitudinally slidably extended whereby the height of saidintermediate section of said bridge relative to said supporting arms maybe adjusted according to the extent to which said leg portions are movedinto said connection boxes and said connection boxes incorporatingreleaseable clamping means for fixedly securing said leg portions inlongitudinally adjusted positions therein preselected according to theheight required of said intermediate portion of said bridge above saidarms for proper fitting of said frame upon said nose.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS King.

Montgomery 88-43 Carson 2-14.12 X

Whitney 88--49 Bodee 8843 Bouchard 8849 Ellestad 88-49 Ellestad 8843Person 8848 8 3/ 1942 Splaine 8849 4/1951 Hurst 88-49 12/1952 Bechtel88-43 10/1953 Hirschman 88-50 X 3/1957 Lindblom 8843 FOREIGN PATENTS7/1915 Germany.

10 DAVID H. RUBIN, Primary Examiner.

E. G. ANDERSON, JEWELL H. PEDERSEN,

Examiners.

D. HORN, T. L. HUDSON, Assistant Examiners.

1. A BRIDGE OF RELATIVELY THIN ESSENTIALLY NON-ELASTIC PLIABLE MATERIALCARRIED BY A PAIR OF RELATIVELY RIGID ARMS FOR SUPPORTING A SPECTACLEFRAME IN A POSITION OF USE UPON THE NOSE WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENTCOMPRISES SAID BRIDGE HAVING AN ARCHED RELATIVELY WIDE INTERMEDIATE NOSEENGAGING SECTION AND DEPENDING LEG PORTIONS OF CONSIDERABLY REDUCEDSUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM WIDTH ONE AT EACH OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAIDINTERMEDIATE SECTION, A CONNECTION BOX FIXED TO ONE END OF EACH OF SAIDARMS, SAID CONNECTION BOXES EACH HAVING A SLIDEWAY INTO WHICH ONE OFSAID LEG PORTIONS IS LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLY EXTENDED WHEREBY THE HEIGHTOF SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION OF SAID BRIDGE RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORTINGARMS MAY BE ADJUSTED ACCORDING TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH SAID LEG PORTIONSARE MOVED INTO SAID CONNECTION BOXES AND SAID CONNECTION BOXESINCORPORATING RELEASABLE CLAMPING MEANS FOR FIXEDLY SECURING SAID LEGPORTIONS IN PRESELECTED LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTED POSITIONS THEREIN.